The Tribune

PHILIP Hanna Jr finished the Bahamas Chess Federation’s 2026 Open Series on top after winning the New Providence Open on tiebreaks, capping the five-round tournament with four points at Boost Academy in Palmdale.

Hanna shared the tournament’s highest score with candidate master Kendrick Knowles, who also recorded four points, but Hanna prevailed on tiebreaks to claim the championship title.

Knowles finished second, while Lincoln Knowles and Abijith Nair completed the top four with three and-a-half points apiece, their positions also settled by tiebreaks.

The New Providence Open was the fourth and final qualifier for the BCF National Chess Championships, scheduled for January 2027.

With the series now complete, Nair and Kenville Lockhart secured the remaining qualifying places for the national competition.

Nair made his mark on the tournament by defeating FIDE master Cecil Moncur and gaining a combined 106 FIDE rating points. His performance earned him the top junior player award, while Diana Williams received the top female player award.

The event also featured three members of The Bahamas’ national chess team following their appearance at the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, bringing international experience back to the domestic competition.

Hanna’s victory closes the federation’s 2026 Open Series as attention shifts to its upcoming events.

The BCF National Junior Female Chess Championships is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, before Bahamian junior players compete at the Central American and Caribbean Youth Chess Festival in San José (Sabana), Costa Rica, November 1-8.The regional festival will provide the island nation’s junior players with another opportunity to compete against international opposition as the federation continues its efforts to expand the game and develop chess talent throughout The Bahamas

The BCF thanked Boost Academy for hosting the tournament, with FIDE arbiters Elton Joseph and Angel Pride officiating and Curtis Pride Sr serving as tournament director.